US quietly reaches agreement with Qatar to keep operating largest military base in Middle East
US quietly reaches agreement with Qatar to keep operating largest military base in Middle East
The United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years, three US defense officials and another official familiar with the agreement told CNN.
The United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years, three US defense officials and another official familiar with the agreement told CNN.
The deal, which has not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.
The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The deal, which has not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.
The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.
But he made no mention of the renewal and the Biden administration has not publicized it – at a time when Qatar has come under growing scrutiny for hosting senior Hamas leaders.
Its vast oil and natural gas wealth, coupled with ability to act as a facilitator, allow Qatar to punch above its weight, analysts say.
While Austin didn’t announce the extension of the Al Udeid agreement during his visit at the base last month, he did say that the US and Qatar “will formally take steps forward to expand and reinforce our bilateral defense relationship.”
“We’ll do this through Qatar’s commitment to contribute significant resources to increase capabilities here at Al Udeid Air Base, and that will support both of our forces for years to come,” Austin added.
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I mean, better to have it and not need it etc etc. Right??
Of course. CENTCOM needs a base to enforce US-hegemony from. Qatar is playing the middle ground between the US and the Muslim world, and wants to pick up the US as an ally when Saudi Arabia got iced out after Jamal Khashoggi was dismembered, and MBS refused to sabotage OPEC when ‘muh gas prices high’ during the pandemic. Turkey is seen as unreliable post-coup and crackdown, and is no longer submissive.
The only winning move, is not to play?